Getting Around Austin: Transit, Driving and the Airport

Getting around Austin is easiest with a mix: CapMetro Route 20 is the cheapest way from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) to downtown, rideshare and taxis are the fastest door-to-door options, and a car is only essential if you are staying outside the center or heading to the Hill Country. Downtown, South Congress and Zilker are workable without one if you plan around a few bus lines and your own feet.

How do you get from the airport into Austin?

From Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) in Southeast Austin, you can take a CapMetro bus, a rideshare, a taxi, a shared shuttle or a rental car. Everything leaves from the Barbara Jordan Terminal: the bus from the lower level, rideshare and taxis from a pickup area behind the Red Garage.

CapMetro bus

CapMetro Route 20 is the budget choice. CapMetro's airport page says Route 20 (Manor Road/Riverside) runs every 15 to 30 minutes, seven days a week, and lists a ride of about 35 minutes to downtown Austin, or a transfer to another high-frequency bus or rail route. The stop is on the lower level just outside baggage claim, and it is hard to miss: CapMetro built it as a neon guitar.

CapMetro Route 483 Night Owl Riverside covers the late hours. CapMetro lists it as running after midnight to 4 a.m., ending downtown on Sixth Street. It does not give a frequency, so check the Trip Planner before relying on it.

The MetroRail Red Line does not go to the airport. CapMetro's airport page points you to Route 20 or a transfer to a high-frequency route.

Rideshare and taxis

Rideshare and taxi pickup for arrivals at Austin-Bergstrom is under the Consolidated Rental Car Facility, just north of or behind the Red Garage, according to the airport's official ground transportation page. Rideshare and taxi drop-off for departures is on the upper-level departures curb. A rideshare tram picks travelers up on the first floor at both entrances of the Red Garage.

The airport lists three taxi companies: ATX Co-Op Taxi, Central City Taxi and Z-Trip. It does not post rates, so ask for a fare estimate before you get in.

Shuttles and limos

The airport lists Carter Transportation (formerly SuperShuttle) and 360 Transportation as shuttle providers, plus a longer list of limousine and charter services. Contact each provider for fares.

Rental cars

Rental car companies operate from the Consolidated Rental Car Facility, where the airport lists 12 brands. If you are staying downtown, hold off on renting until the day you actually leave the center.

How does CapMetro work?

CapMetro is Austin's transit agency, running local buses, the MetroRail Red Line, an on-demand service called Pickup, and commuter express routes. Fares below are what CapMetro typically lists on its fares page; check capmetro.org before you ride.

Fares and passes

• Local bus, Rapid and UT Shuttle: a single ride is typically $1.25, with fares capped at $2.50 per service day and $41.25 per calendar month. A Pickup ride is typically $1.25 too.
• Commuter (express buses and MetroRail): a single ride is typically $3.50, capped at $7.00 per service day and $96.25 per calendar month. Commuter fare includes local services.
• Reduced fare: seniors 65 and older, Medicare holders, riders with disabilities and active or reserve military ID holders not in uniform typically pay $0.60 for a local single ride and $1.75 for a commuter ride.
• Children: CapMetro says kids under 18, and emergency or military personnel in uniform, ride free.

How fare capping works

CapMetro caps what you pay. After two paid rides in a service day, the rest of that day's rides are free. The daily cap works with Tap to Pay (a contactless card or payment-enabled phone or watch, available on buses only), the Umo app and the Reloadable Fare Card. Tap to Pay caps daily only; monthly capping needs the Umo app or the card, and CapMetro says reaching 17 capped days in a calendar month makes the rest of that month free. A service day runs from 4 a.m. to 3:59 a.m., so a night out does not split your cap at midnight.

What CapMetro does and does not reach

MetroRail Red Line (Route 550) runs between Leander and downtown with 10 stations. It stops at Highland, near Austin Community College, and at McKalla, the stop for Q2 Stadium. CapMetro lists service typically every 15 to 30 minutes, with Monday-through-Thursday trains ending in the evening, later trains on Friday, and Saturday service from 10 a.m. to midnight. It does not run to the airport, South Congress or Zilker, and CapMetro's page does not list Sunday service.

Pickup by CapMetro is an on-demand shared shuttle, booked in the Pickup app or by calling 512-369-6200. It covers 12 zones, including East ATX, South Menchaca, Dove Springs and Walnut Creek, with most zones typically running weekdays from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and some adding Saturday hours. It is meant for neighborhoods, not for a quick hop between tourist spots.

Where the gaps are: MetroRail has no Sunday service listed, most Pickup zones are weekday-only, and the Hill Country sits entirely beyond the system. Use the CapMetro app or Trip Planner for live times, or call the GO Line at 512-474-1200.

When do you need a car in Austin?

You need a car in Austin if you are staying outside the central neighborhoods, traveling after the buses thin out, or taking day trips. The city is spread out, and many of its best places are a drive from the airport or from each other.

• You can skip it if your base is Downtown, Rainey Street or Sixth Street, and your plans are in the center. Walking, bus and the occasional rideshare cover it.
• It helps for South Congress, Zilker, East Austin and South Lamar if you want flexibility, though each is reachable by rideshare or bus.
• You need it for Hill Country day trips. Visit Austin puts Dripping Springs about 40 minutes west of Austin and Fredericksburg just over an hour west.

Flooding is the most serious hazard for the Austin area, year-round and citywide, according to the City of Austin's emergency management office. If you drive, never cross a flooded road. See our Austin weather guide before you plan.

Where is parking hard in Austin?

Parking is hardest downtown, where the City of Austin runs metered spaces from Interstate 35 to Lamar Boulevard and from Lady Bird Lake to 10th Street. The city lists downtown enforcement Monday and Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wednesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to midnight and Saturday from 11 a.m. to midnight, but signs on the block are the final word because rates and hours vary.

The city's Park ATX app lets you start, extend and manage a session from your phone, and some spaces are mobile-pay only. The app also gives you two free 15-minute sessions every 24 hours, handy for a quick pickup. The downtown schedule lists no Sunday hours, though other zones such as South Congress do enforce on Sundays, and meters are not enforced on New Year's Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

• Downtown at night and on weekends: expect full lots and street spaces, so book a garage ahead or ride in.
• Sixth Street and Red River: street closures and crowds make rideshare the saner choice.
• South Congress: busy on weekends; expect to circle or use a nearby lot.
• Zilker in event season: festivals fill the park, so check the event's official transport page.

Austin arrival cheat sheet

1. Landing at AUS: head to the lower level outside baggage claim for Route 20.
2. Taking a rideshare or taxi: follow signs to the pickup area under the Consolidated Rental Car Facility, behind the Red Garage.
3. Paying CapMetro: tap a contactless card or phone on buses, or load the Umo app for capping.
4. Remember the cap: two paid rides in a service day and the rest are free.
5. Under 18: kids ride free.
6. Downtown driving: check posted meter hours and the Park ATX app.
7. Hill Country day trip: plan a rental car or driver.

How we chose

This guide uses only official sources: CapMetro for routes and fares, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport for ground transportation, the City of Austin for parking and Visit Austin for day-trip drive times. Fares and hours change, so each is phrased as typical and we link the agency to confirm. For stays in the city, browse our travel and lodging listings.

Last verified: November 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How do you get from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport to downtown Austin?

The cheapest way is CapMetro Route 20, whose stop is on the lower level just outside baggage claim. CapMetro lists a ride of about 35 minutes to downtown. Rideshare, taxis and shuttles are also available from the airport.

How much is the CapMetro bus fare in Austin?

A local CapMetro single ride is typically $1.25, and fares are capped at $2.50 per service day, so after two paid rides in a service day the rest are free. Check capmetro.org for current fares.

Does the Austin MetroRail go to the airport?

No. The MetroRail Red Line runs between Leander and downtown Austin and does not serve Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Take CapMetro Route 20 or a rideshare instead.

Do you need a car in Austin?

Not if you are staying downtown and keeping to the central neighborhoods, where buses, walking and rideshare work. You do need one for Hill Country day trips and for stays far from the center.

Is there a late-night bus from the Austin airport?

CapMetro Route 483 Night Owl Riverside runs from the airport to downtown Sixth Street after midnight to 4 a.m., according to CapMetro. Check the Trip Planner for exact times.